“Well...” I hesitate, not wanting to be shot down again. “Maybe Italy?”
Both Will and Frank nod at that. “What about Venice?” Will asks.
Venice.
Venice.
I know Paris is supposed to be the most romantic city in the world, but suddenly I’m imagining Will and me with the sinking buildings and the lapping water and the gondolas. I squeeze his hand.
His face lights up. “Yeah? I understand if you’d like Paris more.” He leans his head toward me and whispers, “But I’ve only been to Venice once—when I was a little boy. I’d love to explore it with you.” He kisses me lightly on the lips and my face warms. It’s one thing to kiss Will in the privacy of a public park or a crowded London Eye capsule, but it’s another to kiss in front of my friends. When I pull back, Huan waggles his eyebrows suggestively.
“Won’t there be a lot more travel time with Venice?” Sage asks, always the voice of reason.
“And it’ll be more expensive too,” Dev says.
“But the gondolas!” Huan argues.
“A gondola ride does sound rather magical.” Will leans close to me and I kiss his cheek.
“Think of the culture!” I say to Dev and Sage. “World-classmuseums and architecture, delicious food...”
“It shouldn’t take long to get there if we fly,” Will says.
“And we could get cheap rooms at a hostel to save money,” I say.
Frank pales at that suggestion but doesn’t argue.
Dev shrugs. “If everyone else is on board, then I am too. Some authentic pizza does sound good.”
The others take the van home after dinner, but Will drives me. I love having the extra minutes alone with him, but I can’t shake the guilt that comes with it, like I’m subtly telling my friends that I don’t want to spend time with them. Hopefully this trip will help me balance everything better. I want it to feel natural when Will and I are with the others. Right now it still feels like an either-or decision between them.
“Are we sure about this trip?” Sage asks when the four of us are back at Emberton later that evening. She and I sit on her bed, while the boys have taken the chairs. “We have so much studying to do and we’ll be gone for so many days.”
“But there are so many educational opportunities,” Huan says, and winks at me.
“That’s true. We need to be well-rounded,” I add.
“I guess so. Mom has been hounding me to take advantage of these opportunities. I think she’s worried I’m going to burn out if I keep working so hard.” She shakes her head.
“Yes! We’ll all take a break. We’ll get away and do something fun and make great memories!”
Dev leans back in the chair and props his feet on my desk. “I’m not going to argue that it’ll be a great trip. There’s some art therethat I’d love to see in person. But I didn’t like how UK Ken strong-armed you into going to Venice.” He shakes his head.
“He didn’t do that. I can’t wait to go to Venice with him.”
“Eh, you’ll be sick of him after one day.”
“And I’ll be sick of you in one hour.”
Dev chuckles but I scowl at him.
“Why aren’t you hounding Huan about this? He’s only known Frank for a few months too!”
“Hey!” Huan replies.
Dev waves away my question. “He and Frank will be fine. They’re clearly made for each other.”
“And Will and I aren’t?”
